Obama voices his support for gay marriage

Posted: May 9, 2012 - 3:03pm

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama declared unequivocal support for gay marriage on Wednesday, becoming the first president to endorse the politically explosive idea and injecting a polarizing issue into the 2012 race for the White House.

Obama's announcement, after refusing to take a clear stand for months, cheered gay rights groups who have long urged him to support gay marriage. It also opened up a distinct area of disagreement with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who opposes gay marriage.

Polling suggests the nation is evenly divided on the issue

"I have hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought that civil unions would be sufficient," Obama said in an interview with ABC at the White House. He added that, "I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word 'marriage' was something that invokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth."

Now, he said, "it is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married."

The president's decision to address the issue came on the heels of a pair of events that underscored the sensitivity of the issue.

Vice President Joe Biden said in an interview on Sunday that he is completely comfortable with gays marrying, a pronouncement that instantly raised the profile of the issue. And on Tuesday, voters in North Carolina — a potential battleground in the fall election — approved an amendment to the state constitution affirming that marriage may only be a union of a man and a woman.

The president has already supported a number of initiatives backed by gays, including an end to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and a decision not to defend in court a federal law that was designed as an alternative to gay marriage.

He had stopped short of supporting gay marriage, though, saying his position was "evolving."

Obama spoke about his support for gay marriage in deeply personal terms, saying his young daughters, Malia and Sasha, have friends whose parents are same-sex couples.

"Malia and Sasha, it wouldn't dawn on them that somehow their friends' parents would be treated different," Obama said. "It doesn't make sense to them and frankly, that's the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective."

Obama said first lady Michelle Obama also was involved in his decision and joins him in supporting gay marriage.

"In the end the values that I care most deeply about and she cares most deeply about is how we treat other people," he said.

Acknowledging that his support for same-sex marriage may rankle religious conservatives, Obama said he thinks about his faith in part through the prism of the Golden Rule — treating others the way you would want to be treated.

"That's what we try to impart to our kids and that's what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I'll be as a as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I'll be as president," Obama said.

The political cross-currents are tricky.

Some top aides argued that gay marriage is toxic at the ballot box in battleground states like North Carolina and Virginia because, as Tuesday's vote proved, the issue remains a reliable way to fire up rank-and-file Republicans. It also could open Obama up to Republican criticism that he was taking his eye off the economy, voters' No. 1 issue.

Other Democratic supporters claim Obama could energize huge swaths of the party, including young people, by voicing his support for gay marriage before November. He also could appeal to independent voters, many of whom back gay marriage, and he could create an area of clear contrast between himself and his Republican rival as he argues that he's delivered on the change he promised four years ago.

On Tuesday, former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, told Obama to "man up" and take a position on gay marriage.

Romney has not generally raised the issue in his campaign.

On Wednesday, he told KDVR-TV in Denver that "I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender, and I do not favor civil unions if they are identical to marriage other than by name. My view is the domestic partnership benefits, hospital visitation rights, and the like are appropriate but that the others are not."

The Romney campaign did not respond to questions about which benefits the Republican candidate would oppose.

The former Massachusetts governor told an Ohio television station Monday that he believes "marriage is between a man and a woman, and that's a position I've had for some time and I don't intend to make any adjustments at this point — or ever, by the way."

Public opinion on gay marriage has shifted in recent years, with most polls now finding the public evenly split, rather than opposed.

A Gallup poll released this week found 50 percent of all adults in favor of legal recognition of same-sex marriages, marking the second time that poll has found support for legal gay marriage at 50 percent or higher. Majorities of Democrats (65 percent) and independents (57 percent) supported such recognition, while most Republicans (74 percent) said same sex marriages should not be legal.

Six states — all in the Northeast except Iowa — and the District of Columbia allow same sex marriages. In addition, two other states have laws that are not yet in effect and may be subject to referendums.

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Well the person posing as our president is hard at it, making a foolish move just so he can get re elected. Total moron. Real Americans have seen what he is: a big joke and will oust him come November. Thank GOD almighty, thank GOD almighty that obama will not lead the United States in 2013.

Well the person posing as our president is hard at it, making a foolish move just so he can get re elected. Total moron. Real Americans have seen what he is: a big joke and will oust him come November. Thank GOD almighty, thank GOD almighty that obama will not lead the United States in 2013.

Well the person posing as our president is hard at it, making a foolish move just so he can get re elected. Total moron. Real Americans have seen what he is: a big joke and will oust him come November. Thank GOD almighty, thank GOD almighty that obama will not lead the United States in 2013.

This is not a Right vs. Left/ Democrat vs. Republican issue. This is a civil rights issue, that is not much different than the old debates regarding interracial marriage from decades ago. Studies have found that the majority of young college-age Republicans have no issues with gay marriage. The only ones who oppose it are the old religious zealots who feel they have to impose their will on others, regardless of whether or not it effects them. I would ask anyone who opposes gay marriage, "How do same-sex marriages have any effect on your day to day life? Can you name any legitimate consequences were it legal throughout the country?". All you will hear is religious drivel about how it is not right and The Good Book says so. It's ridiculous and 20 years from now it will be legal and accepted across the country and their is nothing you can do about it.

"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." Jonathan Swift "I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." Groucho Marx

1) I am not a homophobe.
2) it is my right to feel the way I do. Just as it is your right to feel the way you do.
3) I do feel the same as Obama. That is when he said he opposed gay marriage but didn't have any issues with civil unions.
4) I find it very amusing to watch as Obama becomes frightened about his chances at re election. Because of this fear Obama is willing to compromise on his beliefs which had been made very evident by his sudden change on this particular debate.
5) That's called flip flopping!!!!
6) Is it worse the be told the truth or what someone thinks someone else wants to hear?
7) Come November Obama will be used in the past tense.

@informedLubbockite...thumbs up!!!!....for the haters....this isn't an issue for you because all of the rights that you currently enjoy have previously been fought for and won for you and all of us....as InformedLubbockite said...what does it matter to you anyways?...I know I know....so many of the gay marriage opposers use the standing that the more we condone against God's word the more horrible our world will be and the more condemned we as humans will be by God...really?....I guess drugs, child trafficking, adultery, abuse, hate crimes, rape, murder, incest, theft, etc....isn't going to cause us any problems though....just because drugs, and all these other bad things aren't "legal" deffinately doesn't prevent them from happening...and does anything positive come out of these things...NO....but...legally allowing gay marriage means that more united states citizens will be entitled to health insurance, more and more children can be taken into loving homes without a million questions, two people that deserve to publicly and legally acknowledge that they vow to love one another can do so...and absolutely none of that will hurt you, your children, or anyone else you hold dear, but those other things I talked about could affect you at any second of any day!!!!!

"Dorkotic, I believe it's Your Breed that will fade away because, IT CAN'T BREED. That will never change." - Txguy

You know, people have been saying this (or some variation thereon) no doubt since people started keeping track of what other people say....and you know what? Ain't nothing "faded away" yet!

It hasn't faded away....you can't beat it out of people....and you damned sure can't pray it away!

Political aspects to one side, the fact of homosexuality isn't going anywhere. To deny its existence is to deny reality...which the GOP seems to excel at. (Actually, denying reality and cutting taxes seem to be about all the GOP is good at.)

Way to go, Mr. President. At least someone in the government is living on the same planet as the rest of us.

And if this doesn't prove to the wingnuts that the President is in fact the Antichrist, I don't know what will.

To those of YOU, that believe this last minute desperation move by The LIAR in Chief on this issue, I DO have some swamp land out in West Texas that I will make you a bargain on !!!
HE takes himself off any responsibility, by saying that it should be a States Rights Issue !!!
If HE is so firm on this issue, why didn't HE take a stance 3+ years ago just after HE got Elected !!!
Oh yea, OBamaCare was HIS priority issue at that time !!!
HE is just pandering to the Gay Voters at the last minute for their Votes !!!
Just remember all of the LIES that HE promised the last time that HE ran for Election that were never kept after HE was Elected !!!
Why do YOU believe that this will be any different ???
I have three things that The LIAR in Chief will NEVER get from ME..................MY Respect, MY Vote and MY Campaign Contribution !!!
He can't run on HIS past record in office, so HE has to keep throwing up these straw men diversions to keep the Voters from questioning what HE has done for the past 3+ years !!!
HE was in way over HIS head when HE was Elected and HE is STILL in way over HIS head and unqualified to serve another 4 years in the Oval Office !!!
BTW: Why is it that HE NEVER mentions that HE is NOT the first Black President to be Elected to the U.S., HE is the first mixed race President to be Elected to the U.S. !!! Odd that HE always stresses HIS being black, when HE is 50% black !!!
HE is just incapable of telling the whole truth !!!

I totally agree that all Gays should be married just like all of the others who are LEGALLY married in the Eyes of the Law !!!
Why shouldn't they be just as miserable as everyone else that is married !!!
Why shouldn't THEY have to go thru all of the expense and legalities that it takes to get divorced from someone that they are married to.
Why shouldn't they have to fight over community property division just like all married people.
They want the right to be married, I say, go for it !!!
Then they will see just how much fun it is when things don't work out in the end !!!
Let them then fight over who gets the beloved dog and cat and car and house !!!
The Attorney's are just waiting for all of their new clients and the additional income that they will derive from this !!!
Think they are unhappy with their current living situation, just wait until the end of their blissful romance comes knocking of the door !!!

I had a friend in Houston who was a NASA engineer. He was killed in a car accident on his way to Clear Lake in the mid '90s. His parents came and took over the funeral arrangements and systematically cut his committed partner, Tom out of the decision making process. Without his knowledge, they arranged to have his body taken back to Oklahoma and Tom received threats warning him not to attend the funeral service. There was a will but the parents managed to get around it somehow. They exploited every legal loophole and eventually ended up with both cars, the house and all of it's contents, which they sold. Tom was escorted out of his own home by Sheriff's deputies and wasn't allowed to take anything, including his own personal possessions. He lost everything in a matter of weeks.

Twelve years of loving and dreaming, mortgage and car payments, building a life and a home together and then, it was all taken away in a blur. He never even got a chance to say, "Goodbye". He was so grief stricken he didn't even have the energy to fight back. There was a small life insurance policy that the parents didn't know about, fortunately.

At least Tom had some small pittance with which to start over but I've heard thousands of other stories and known a few of them personally who weren't so lucky.
The sad thing is that existing family law could have been adapted to incorporate same-sex couples with a minimum of fuss and tax payer expense. Instead, small minded people have turned this small issue into a major religious battle over who should own the exclusive rights to a word.

But let's get real for a minute. It's pretty hard to argue the "sanctity of marriage" while trying to justify unquestioning legal recognition, in all 50 states, of one officiated by an Elvis impersonator and entered into by two complete strangers who are so inebriated they're unaware of what city they're in.

Could we please, try to bypass all of this ridiculous melodrama and prejudice disguised as infringement of religious freedom and put things into a reasonable perspective? In our unique government of the People, by the People and for the People, every American citizen, gay or straight, has every right to expect equal representation under the law.